“Has Done Wonders For My Mental Health”: 45 Small Life Changes That Made People Happier

"I posted the question on r/AskReddit with no intentions of it gaining the traction it did," 05tn3021 tells Bored Panda. "In all honesty, I just wanted 2024 to be a better year and wondered what people do to find joy in whatever they do, [regardless] of the magnitude of their actions."

The Redditor says she hoped to pick up some habits and learn more about appreciating the smaller things in life from other Redditors. "I never really expected it to garner the attention it did. But I'm happy the Reddit community banded together to create a beautiful thread on how all of us could better our mental health and lead more joyful lives."

Out of the almost five thousand replies and stories, there had to be one that stood out most to the author. She says two comments resonated with her the most. One of them was about deleting social media. The other described being able to question the source of frustration in others instead of internalizing their anger.

“I was able to relate to deleting social media,” the Redditor says. She says we should focus on living in the present, away "from mind-numbing scrolls on TikTok or Instagram and the fictionality of 'social media lifestyles.'" The netizen says she's no stranger to endless scrolling herself. This comment helped her to reflect and make changes in her lifestyle.

"Also, another comment revolved around the source of frustrations and how people lash out. I found it really insightful, as they reminded us that sometimes people take out their frustration on us, and it's not always our fault."

"For the better of our mental health, we should question the way people speak to us. We should start to question, 'Why are they responding this way' rather than 'What did I do wrong?'"

The Redditor also took some of the suggestions from this thread and tried to implement them into her everyday life. One example is simply taking a walk every day. "Whether I took one with a pet, partner, or even by myself. Sometimes it's nice to slow down and listen to your favorite playlist or podcast and be able to breathe a breath of fresh air," the Redditor muses.

05tn3021 has some wise words about our inclination to always be faster, better, and more productive. "In a world where everything moves so fast, the ability to be [at] one's own peace and to pick your own pace really is valuable."

"You don't have to run after your goals constantly, as you'll face the inevitable doom of burning out. Instead, learn to find your own pace rather than copy someone else's and be proud of your achievements, small or large. Otherwise, you'll never really feel happy."

The Redditor also found the comment about making a routine particularly helpful. She says it's important to dedicate some time in the day to just relax and read a book, play games, or whatever one considers downtime.

"Although it might not seem productive, I personally think it's better than cramming all your chores into one day or weekend, [and] to then only give yourself 10-30 minutes of free time before bed."

"We subconsciously want to put off work and don't want to just sleep, work, eat, clean, and then sleep again. Instead, we end up digging into that necessary 8 hours of sleep and pleasing our dopamine demon with a 'death scroll.'"

"Setting a fixed time to wind down and then sleep is very important, and routines, in general, will improve your quality of life. It'll definitely help you get out of bed, especially on those days when life just has a bit more bite than usual."

The author behind this post encourages others to be more mindful and kind to themselves. "Continue doing what makes you happy, even if it feels like a waste of time or that you could be doing something more meaningful. There's nothing more important than yourself. Staying happy and working on your mental health should be your top priority."

"Everyone deserves a break, and your worth isn't solely based on your accomplishments. Be rich in health rather than wealth, although both play pretty nicely together! Celebrate the small accomplishments and be proud of yourself for who you are today," the Redditor says.